Creasing machine



May 2, 1933. THOMAS 1,906,499

CREASING MACHINE Filed March 23, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 2, 1933. F THOMAS I 1,906,499

CREAS ING MACHINE Filed March 23, 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 51 Y a: 100 i 6 95 4 Q 7 122 106 55 59 a. if 3 4 25 7 .58 7 Y 5 2 fizz/ea er." fiderz'cl' YZOyaS F. THOMAS CREASING MACHINE May 2, 1933.

Filed. March 23, 1929 6 Sheets$heet 4 F. THQMAS CREASING MACHINE May 2, 1933.

Filed March 23 1929 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 77216556 Afieam'ak 1 20/7255 Patented May 2, 1933 STATES PATEN E fiFFEfiE FREDERIGK THOMAS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB. TO FEDELITY MACE-HEB CGMPANY, F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION 015 DELAWARE CREASING MACHINE Application filed March 23, 1829. Serial No. 349,427.

1.- :3 Prior to my invention it has been extremely difiicult to make the edge folds of the above mentioned blanks to lie flat against the body of the patch-pocket or pocket welt,

due to the. resiliency of the fibers of which @112, the cloth, forming the blank is composed.

This condition has made it extremely difficult to neatly and conveniently sew the patch-pockets or pocket welts to the garments, for the reason that unless the edge 3.; fold lays fiat against the body of the pocket or welt in applying the patch-pocket or a pocket welt to the garment, the folded edges which are adapted to lie flat between the body of the pocket and the body of the garment to which the pocket is being applied,

will have a tendency to raise the pocket or welt from the body of the garment to which it is being applied.

The object of my present invention is to provide a machine. which will effectively cause the above noted edge folds to permanently lie flat against the body of the piece of fabric on which the edge fold is formed. The manner in which this object is attained will be fully disclosed hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a creasing machine adapted particularly for folding and creasing the edges of pocket welts in such a manner that the said fold will lie per manently in a position parallel to and against the body of the pocket welt;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken on theline 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional elevation illustrating the first step in the process for folding and creasing a pocket welt;

'0 Fig. l is a fragmentary sectional elevation somewhat larger than Fig. 3, and illustrating another step in the process;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, showing still another step in the process;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 5 and illustrating the final step in the creasing process;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7 7, Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a plan view partly in section of a detail of the construction;

Figs. 9 and 10 are respectively transverse sectional elevations taken on the lines 99 and 101O of Figs. 8 respectively;

Figs. 11, 12, 13 and 14 are perspective views of the co-operating creasing plates or platens;

Fig. 15 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a pocket-welt blank, illustrating the same before the edges have been folded;

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the pocketwelt after the end edges have been folded over;

Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the welt shown in Fig. 16 after one of the longitudinal edges has been folded and creased; and

Fig. 18 is a diagrammatic plan View of a form of the invention adapted for the folding of the edges of a patch-pocket blank.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the machine comprises a bed plate 1 having legs 2, 2 located at its respective corners. Mounted on the bed plate 1 in fixed relation thereto is a stationary plate or platen 5. Also secured to the bed plate 1 is a pair, of stationary plates 6, '6 which are slightly thinner than the platen 5. The plates 6 extend parallel to the longitudinal edges 8 of the platen 5 and are spaced apart therefrom.

Slidably mounted on each of the plates ('3, 6 is a folding and creasing plate 7. These plates 7, 7 are adapted to be moved toward each other and to overlap the said opposite and parallel edges 8, 8 of the platen 5.

Each of the movable platens 7 is attached to a movable guide plate 9, which is slidably mounted on the bed plate 1 in a guideway 10 formed between spaced ribs 11, 11 formed integral with or suitably attached to the bed plate 1. Each of the guide plates 9 is provided with an ofliset 12 which overlaps the outer edge of the adjacent platen 7. Each platen 7 is provided with a pair of vertically extending pins 13, 13 which are adapted to enter correspondingly spaced openings formed in the offset or overlapping portion 12 of the plate 9, thus the platens 7 are guided for movement toward and away from each other, and radially with respect to a center X common to both, and the adjacent edges of the said platens are maintainedin a definite relation with respect to each other, which, in the present instance, is a substantially parallel relationship. The guide plates 9 constitute, in elfect, extensions of the platens 7.

Pivotally attached to each of the extensions or guide plates 9, at the point indicated at 14, is one end of a link 15. The opposite end of each of the links 15 is pivotally connected at 16 to an operating element, which, in the present instance, is in the form of a ring 17.

The ring 17 is mounted above the guide plates 9, 9 and the ribs 11, 11 and is guided for circular movement about the common center X, by a series of rollers 18, 18 which are rotatably mounted upon the bed plate 1. The ring 17 is provided with an operating handle 20 by which the said ring may be turned about the said center.

Turning of the said ring 17 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, will, through the links 15, 15, cause the platens 7 7 to be moved radially toward the said common center X, a projection 21 on said ring engaging one of the guide rollers 18, or its equivalent, which will function as a stop for the said ring. Movement of the ring 17 in an opposite direction will cause the platens 7, 7 to be retracted to their normal outer positions and away from the said common center X.

Each of the platens 7 is further provided with a pair of spaced openings 22, 22 which are adapted to receive correspondingly shaped projections 23, 23 depending from arms 24, 24 which extend radially, in pairs, from hubs 25, 25 respectively. A bolt 26 passes through each of the hubs 25, through an opening 27 formed in the overlapping portions 12 of the guide plate 9, through an opening 28 formed in the rear edge of the platen 7 through an opening 29 formed in the bed plate 1, and through a bell-shaped opening 30 formed in a bar or cross-head 31 which is located below the bed plate 1.

Intermediate the bell-shaped openings 30,

j 30 the bar or cross-head 31 is provided with a bearing 32 which is adapted to receive a pivot bolt 33 which passes through said bearing and through a pair of links 34 which are respectively located at the opposite sides of the said bearing 32. The opposite end of each of the links 34 is pivotally connected at 35 to a lever 36, which is pivotally mounted on a shaft 37. The opposite ends of the shaft 37 are secured in cross bars 38, respectively located at the opposite ends of the machine and secured at their respective opposite ends to the legs 2, 2 of the machine. The outer end of the lever 36 is pivotally connected at 39 to a lever 40.

At one side of the pivot 39 the lever 40 is pivotally connected at 41 to a link 42, the opposite end of said link 42 being pivotally connected at 43 to a bearing 44 which is secured to a bar 45. The bar 45 extends across the machine at the front thereof and is connected at its opposite ends to those legs 2, 2 of the machine which are located at the front of the machine. At the opposite side of the pivot 39 the lever 40 is provided with a lateral extension 46 adapted to be engaged by the foot of an operator, for purposes hereinafter set forth.

Connected to the pivot 39 is one end of a link 47, the opposite end of which is connected to one end of a tension spring 48, the opposite end of said spring being attached to the bar 45.

The portion of the lever 40, between the pivots 39 and 41 with the link 42 constitutes a toggle, which, when the lever 40 is pressed by pressure being applied to the foot treadle 46 and the centers of the pivots 39, 41 and 43 are brought into substantial alignment with each other, will maintain this relationship against the tension of the spring 48.

The lever 40 is provided with a stop lug 49 which is provided with a stop screw 50 which engages the link 42 and prevents turning of the lever 40 and link 42 beyond a predetermined position, wherein the elements of the toggle will be substantially aligned with each other and maintained in its straightened position as above noted.

When the lever 40 is pressed as above noted, the lever 36 will be turned upon its pivot 37, thereby drawing the links 34 downwardly and consequently moving the cross-head 31 and the pressure bolts 26, 26 downwardly, which, through the arms 24, 24 and the depending projections 23 there on, will apply pressure to the upper side of the platens 7, 7 moving them downwardly also.

Adapted to be brought into substantially axially alignment with the common center X, above referred to, is an operating head 55. The operating head is formed on the outer end of an arm or lever 56. The arm 56 is pivotally mounted at 57 in bearings 58, 58 which are secured to the upper face of the bed plate 1. The arm 56 is provided with an extension 59 which projects rearwardly beyond the pivot 57 of the said arm 56 and carries a weight 60, which at all times tends to turn the said arm 56 about its pivot 57, whereby the head 55 of the arm 56 will be swung out of its position in axial alignment with the said common center X to a position spaced above the bed plate 1, this movement of the arm 56 being limited by a stop lug 61 formed on the arm 56 and adapted to engage the upper side of the bed plate 1.

Secured to the under side of the head 55 of the arm 56 is a steam head 65 which is shown in detail in Figs. 8, 9 and 10. The steam head 65 comprises a metallic member in the form of a plate 66. Themember 66 is secured to lugs 67, 67, which extend laterally from the head 55, by means of bolts 68 68.

Located substantially at the center of the member 66 is a port or passage 69 which communicates with a transversely extending passage 70 formed in the member 66. The transverse passage 7 0 communicates with passages 71 and 72 formed in the under side of the member 66.

On the under surface of the member 66 is a steam distributing plate 7 3, which is composed of a material having a minimum degree of heat-radiating quality. This plate in the present instance is composed of what is commercially known as bakelite.

The passages 71 and 72 in the member 66 register with openings 7% and 75 respectively, formed in the plate 73. The openings 7 land 75 communicate with longitudinally extending grooves 76 and 77 respectively, which are formed in the under side of the plate 73. The plate 73 is also provided with series of lateral grooves 78 which communicate with the longitudinal passage 76 and terminate adjacent one edge of the plate 73. The passage 77 is provided with a corresponding series of lateral grooves 79 which terminate adjacent the opposite edge of the plate 73. On the lower side of the plate 73 is a cover plate 80 which, like the plate 73, is composed of a non-radiating material, such as bakelite. This plate 80 is of lesser width than the plate 73, and its opposite edges are spaced inwardly from the corresponding edges of the plate 73. The plate 80 covers the grooves or passages 7 6 and 77 and their respective laterals 78 and 79, permitting a small portion of each of the lateral grooves 78 and 79 to extend beyond the edges of the plate 80, thus forming the said outer ends of the passages 78 and 79 into jets for the passage of steam supplied to the steam head 65 through the port 69.

Immediately adjacent and in contact with the under side of the plate 80 is a metal ic guard plate 81. As shown in Fig. 10, the plates 66, 73, 80 and 81 are secured together by means of screws 82, 82.

Slidably mounted in the transverse passage 70 is a plunger 85, which is adapted to be moved longitudinally of said passage to a position such asindicated in Fig. 9, in which the inner end of the plunger 85 is positioned in the passage 70 intermediate the port 69 and passage 72. lVhen the plunger 85 is in this position the flow of fluid is out off from the passage 72 thereby preventing the fluid from being projected -from the jets formed at the ends of the lateral passages 79.

The plunger 85 is adapted to be moved longitudinally oi the passage 70 by means of a screw 86 which, in the present instance is formed integral with the said plunger 85 and is threaded into a plug 87 which closes the one end of the said passage 70, the said plug being secured to the memer 66 in any suitable manner.

The head 55 is provided with suitable passageways adapted to receive steam from pipes 90, 90 and to deliver the same to the port 69 in the steam head 65, under the control of a suitable valve, located within the head 55 and iorniing no part of the present invention. This valve, however, is controlled by a stem 91 which is axially aligned with the head 55 and is adapted for move ment axially with respect to the said head The valve stem 91 is provided with spaced collars 92 between which extends one arm 93 of a-valve-operating lever, which is pivoted at 9-l to a bracket 95 formed on an operating handle 96.

The handle 96 is provided with a hub 97 which is rotatably mounted on the head 55 between a shoulder 98 "formed thereon and a retaining nut 99. The operating handle 96 is provided with a hand hold 100.

The opposite end 101 of the lever 93 is operatively connected by a rod 102 with one end 103 of a valve-operating handle 10%, which is pivoted at 105 to the operating handle 96. 7

When the hand hold 106 of the valve operating handle 10% is moved toward the hand hold of the operating lever 96 the valve stem 91 is operated in the manner permitting steam to flow from the pipes 90 through the head 55 and the port 69 into the steam head 65, and thence through the passages 76 and 77 in said steam head and out through the jets formed at the outer ends of the lateral passages 78 and 79.

Slidably mounted on the under side of the plate 81 out the steam head 65 is a pair of bars 110, 110 which extend longitudinally of, and beyond the ends of, the steam head 65 as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

Slidably mounted on the upper side of the element 66 of the steam head 65 is a pair of bars 111, which are provided with depending portions 112 which engage the opposite ends of the steam head 65 and are connected to the bars 110, 110 respectively, which are located on the under side of the steam head 65.

The upper bars 111, 111 are provided with elongated and transversely extending guide slots 113, 113, which are adapted toreceive guide screws 11 1, 114, w iich are tapped into the upper side of the element 66 of the steam head 65, thereby permitting lateral movement of the bars 111, 111 toward and away from each other and in a direction radially disposed with respect to the common center X above referred to. 7

On the upper side and at each end of each of the bars 111 is a vertically extending pin 115, which is adapted to project into a cam groove 116 formed in a disk 117. The disks 117 are rotatably mounted on pins 118, secured in the element 66 of the steam head 65. The disks 117, 117 are operatively connected together for synchronized operation by means of a link 119, the opposite ends of the link 119 being pivotally connected to the disk 117, 117 by screws 120, 120 respectively.

Intermediate the ends of the link 119, the said link is provided with an opening 121 into which projects a pin 122. The pin 122 is secured to and depends from the operating handle 96. Movement of the handle 96 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1 will cause a corresponding movement of the disks 117, 117 which, through the cam slots 116 and pins 115, will move the bars 111, 111 and the bars 110, which are respectivcly secured thereto, toward each other and radially with respect to the above mentioned common center. Movement of the operating handle 96 in an opposite direction will effect a corresponding reverse movement of the bars 110.

Secured to each ofthe bars 110 is a folding blade 125, which, when the steam head 65 is in the operating position shown in F igs. 2 to 6 inclusive, lies immediately adjacent the upper side of the plate or platen 5, as shown in Figs. 3 to 7 inclusive.

As above described, turning of the ring 17 in a clockwise direction causes latera movement of the upward platens 7, 7 in a direction toward each other, and radiall with respect to the said common center X, Wl11i'l1 is coincident with the center of the heads 55, the head 65 and the lower platen 5.

As shown in Figs. 3 to 6 and 11 and 14, the outer parallel edges 8, 8 of the plate are provided with a series of corrugations or grooves 130 which extend transversely of the plate 5, in a direction corresponding to the direction of movement of the upper plates or platens 7, and the said platens 7 are provided with a corresponding se ies of corrugations 131 which, like corrugations 130 of the plate 5, extend in a ireetion corresponding to the direction of move ment of the plates or platens 7.

The corrugations 130 and 131 are so arranged that when the plates or platens 7 are mo'vedft-o a position wherein the corrugations 131 of the upper platen 7 are above the corrugations of the lower platen 5, the high portions or ridges of the corrugations 131 are in. alignment or. registry with the low portions or grooves of the corrugations 130, and vice versa.

As shown in Fig. 11, the lower platen5 is also provided with other series of corrugations or serrations 132, 132, which extend in a direction substantially at right angles to the corrugations or serrations 130 of the said plate 5, and in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction of movement of the upper platens 7, 7 and the folding blades 125, 125. i

The machine as above described is adapted for folding the opposite ends of a plurality of pocket-welt blanks w, simultaneously, and in order to place the machine in a condition for receiving the blanks the lever is released from the position shown in F ig. 2 permitting said lever to turn about the pivot 39 until the stop screw 134 carried by the lever 40 engages the upper side of the lever 36. The lever 36 will turn about its pivot 37 under the influence of the spring l8 which, will raise the links 3 1, andthereby raise the cross-head 31 and pressure rods 26, thereby releasing the pressure from the upper platens 7, 7. The ring 17 is turned in the countercloclm'ise direction (Fig. 1) which will move the upper platens 7, 7 away from each other. The operating handle 96 is turned in a clockwise direction which, through the disks 117, 117, bars 111, 111 and bars 110, 110, will move the folding blades 125, 125, which are respectively secured to the bars 110, toward each other. The arm 56 is permitted to turn on its pivot 57 until the stop 61 engages the upper side of the bed plate 1, under the influence of the weight 60, which carries the steam head 65 and the folding blades 125 away from the lower paten 5. The machine is then ready to receive the blanks.

A plurality of blanks m, such as illustrated in Fig. 13, are then placed side by side on the lower platen 5, with their opposite ends :10, m respectively overlying the oppositely disposed upper platens 7, 7, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3.

The operating handle 96 is then turned in a. counterclockwise direction which moves the folding blades 125, 125 away from each other and radially with respect to the center of the head and 65. The arm 56 is then swung about its pivot 57 by bearing down on the operating handle 96, which brings the steam head and the folding blades 125, 125 down on top of the blanks 00, pressing the same against the lower platen 5 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3.

lVhile in this position the hand hold 106 of the valve-operating handle 10 1 is mo mentarily moved toward the hand hold 100' of the operating handle 96, which permits a jet of steam to flow from each of the jets 78 and 7 9. These jets of steam are thereby directed against the ends m, 00 of the blanks w, a? in the manner illustrated at y, y in Fig. 8.

The ring 17 is then moved in a clockwise direction, which causes the upper platens 7 7, to move toward each other from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 1, wherein the ends 03 of the blank are folded up against the outer edges of the respective folding blades 125.

Continued movements of the ring 17 in a clockwise direction causes the upper platens 7, 7 to move from the position shown in Fig. l to the position shown in Fig. 5, wherein the ends 03 of the blank are folded down upon top surface of the folding blades 125.

l/Vhile in this position the operating handle 96 is turned in a clockwise cirection, which causes the folding blades 125, 125 to be retracted from the folded ends 03 13 of the blank :0, from the position shown in Fig. 5 to that shown in Fig. 6, whereupon the upper platens 7, 7 will press the folded ends 931 of the blank against the body of the said blank 03, in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6. As above noted the corrugations 130 and 131 of the plates 5 and 7 respectively are in registry with each other.

The operator then presess the treadle 46 which, as above noted, pulls down on the pressure bars 26, 26 and thereby applies sufficient pressure to the platens 7 7 to cause the corrugations 131 thereof to press the material confined between the upper platens 7 and the lower platen 5 to be pressed down into the corrugations 130 of the said lower platen 5. The pressure on the platens 7 is permitted to remain for a predetermined length of time.

The fibers of the material having been heated by the jets of steam, as above noted,

and the material having been folded and pressed down into the corrugations of the platens 5 and 7, and the said pressure being permitted to stand for a predetermined length of time, which incidently is but relatively short, causes the said fibers to assume a set position. v

lVhen the pressure is relieved and the blanks removed from the machine, through the series of operations similar to those above noted relative to the preparation of the machine to receive blanks, these folded ends will permanently maintain their newly assumed position parallel to and in contact with the body of the welt. This permanent setting of the fold is effected by the crimping of the fibers of the material between the co-operating corrugations of the upper and lower platens.

If desired, the lower platen may be heated by any suitable means such, for example, as that illustrated in Fig. 2, wherein a steam chamber 140 is formed in the bed plate di rectly below the said platen. Obviously other well known heating means may be provided, such as a frame, or an electric coil.

After suitable number of blanks have had their ends folded in the manner above noted, one of the longitudinal edges of the welt may be folded in the manner illustrated in Fig. 15. A plurality of welts maybe placed in the machine end to end along one, or both, of the upper platens 7 and the folding and creasing operations above noted carried out as described, for the folding of the longitudinal edge :0 of the blank.

The serrations or corrugations 132 of the plate 5 are provided for the purpose of engaging the blank and holding it against relative movement with respect to the plate 5, when the folding blades 125, 125 are being withdrawn from the folded blank, from the position illustrated in Fig. 5 to that illustrated in Fig. 6.

If it is desired to operate but one of the plat-ens 7 during the folding of the longitudinal edges of the blanks, the steam supply from the jets 79 may be cut off, in the manner above described, by moving the plunger 85 into the position illustrated in Fig. 9, whereupon steam will be supplied only to the jets 78 which are located adjacent the front edge of the machine.

The machine is subject to modification, such, for example, as the elimination of one of the platens 7 and the corresponding one of the folding blades 125, whereby the single edge of a larger piece of fabric may be fold? ed, as desired, using but one of the said platens 7 and one of the said folding blades 125; or the machine may be so constructed that the edges of irregularly shaped pieces of material may be folded by a series of upper platens 7a 7b, and 7d, which are movable radially with respect to a common center 2 and are each provided with corrugations 131a, 1315, 1310 and 131d which, as shown in Fig. 18, extend parallel to the direction of movement of the respective upper platens, it being understood that the lower platen 5a is provided with the plurality of corrugations 13001, 1306, 1300 and 130d which correspond in direction to the co-operating corrugations 131a to 131d of the movable plates 7 a to 7 (Z inclusive.

It is essential that the co-operating corrugations of the respective upper and lower platens extend in a direction coinciding with the direction of movement of the movable platens, so that the movable platens when being retracted, so that the folded pieces may be removed from the machine, will not unduly drag on the said folded pieces, thus,

the position of the edge folds relative to the body of the piece is not disturbed.

I claim:

1. In a. creasing machine, a pair of relatively movable platens provided with co-opcrating material-engaging faces, said faces having corrugations adapted to be pressed against material placed between said faces, the ridges of the corrugations of one of said platens registering with the grooves of the corrugations of the other of said platens, said corrugations extending substantially in the direction of the relative movement between said platens.

2.' In a creasln r machine a air of latens n u b I 7 0 provided wlth co-operating materlal-engag- 11w faces and at least one of said faces havh 7 mg corrugations adapted to be pressed against material placed between said faces,

extending substantially in the. direction of' the relative movement between said platens, a folding blade insertable between the said co-operating faces of said platens, and one 7 of said faces having corrugations extending in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction of movement of said folding blade.

4. In a creasing machine, a platen, a sec-' ond platen mounted for movement relative to and in a plane substantially parallel with the first said platen, a folding blade mounted for movement in a plane substantially parallel to and intermediate the said platens,one of said platens having corrugations extending in the direction of the said relative movementbetween the platens, and one of said platens having corrugations extending in a direction substantially at right angles to the direction of movement of the said folding blade.

5. In a creasing machine, a platen, a second' platen mounted for movement relative to and substantially parallel with the first said platen, a'folding blade mounted for movement in a plane substantially parallel to and intermediate the said platens, said platens each having corrugations which are adapted to register with the corrugations of the other tending in the direction, of movement of the said relatively movable platen.

6. In a creasing machine, a platen, a second platen mounted for movement relative to and substantially parallel with the first said platen, a folding blade mounted for platen, said corrugations ex movement in a plane substantially parallel to and intermediate the said platens, said platens each having corrugations which are adapted to register with the corrugations of the other platen, said corrugations extending in the direction of movement of the said relatively movable platen, and one of said platens having corrugations extending substantially at right angles to the direction of movement of the said folding blade.

FREDERICK THOMAS.

1 Ill 

